Electric signal



(No ModeL) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. PHELPS & A. T. SAMPSON.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL Patented Dec. 24, 1895.

\A/ITNESSEEII run/ENTERS v 3 Sheets-Shet 2. E. M. PHELPS & A. T. SAMPSON.

(No Model.)

ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

N0.-5 51,998. Patented Dec. 24, 1895.

v (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. PHELPS & A. T. SAMPSON.

- ELBGTRIQ SIGNAL.

\A/ITNESSES" UNITED STATES ATENT FFIC EUGENE M. PHELPS AND AROHIBALD T. SAMPSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE FARMER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,998, dated December 24, 1895. Application filed October 8, 1891. Serial No. 408,152. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EUGENE M. PHELPS and ARCHIBALD T. SAMPSON, citizens of the United States, and residents of Lynn, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Electric Signal, of which the following is a specification,

Our invention consists of an improved electric signal for railroad service and particu- [O larly for single-track street-railroads.

The object of our invention is to signal between cars running in opposite directions, so as to avoid a meeting except at turn-outs or sidings.

'15 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mechan- Fig. 2 is a plan ism for setting the signal. view of the under side of the mechanism for setting the signal. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same shown suspended from the poles. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the target-signal and its connections. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the target-signal with the front of the box removed. Fig 6 is a top plan view of the arrangement'of wires on an electric road, cov- 2 5 ering two consecutive sidings. Fig. 7 is a side plan view of the mechanism for dropping the signal, and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a hood for covering the same.

Like letters and numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

On single-track electric railroads where the turn-outs or sidings are a great distance apart, which is usually the case, the cars frequently meet on the main line or are compelled to wait 3 5 an unnecessary length of time on account of not being on the schedule time. Our invention obviates this difficulty by enabling each car when it reaches a turn-out to set the signal at the next turn-out in the direction in which it is traveling. By this means it will always be apparent to the conductor of a car on reaching a turn-out whether or not the main track is open or occupied.

In the application of our invention an electrio lamp may be used as a signal, or an ordinary railroad-target may be used for that purpose.

A represents a sheet-metal hood which protects the mechanism for setting the signal against the weather. This is fastened to the cast-iron metal frame E by means of the bolteyes M M and the bolts t t.

B represents a trolley-wire, to which are se cured, in any suitable way, the pieces K K, which may be solid pieces of metal soldered to the wire or may be pieces of sheet metal bent around the wire with a metal filling between. To these pieces K K is secured the cast-metal frame E by means of the bolts N N, which are insulated from the frame E by the bushings O O.

In the frame E are secured four magnetcoils (l O'and D D. Pivoted to the piece K is switch E, which is double and rests upon the trolley-wire, except when lifted by the. trolley-wheel. This switch F is in electric contact with the trolley-wire B through the piece K, and has an armature G fastened to it, which comes in contact with the magnet-cores H and y when it is raised by the trolley-wheel. The projection g at the same time comes in contact with the spring-wiref, which is a continuation of the wire forming the magnet-coils O and D which are in circuit with the ground. Immediately upon making contact between the projection g and spring f the cores II and y are magnetized and hold up the switch F. The wires which form the magnet-coils O D is represented by X in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and it is carried to an adjacent pole, where it has a target and lamp in circuit, and then runs to apole at the next siding or turn-out, where it has another target and lamp in circuit,'and' thence to the ground.

It will be seen that when a car is traveling in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6 and reaches the first point marked A, where there is a mechanism like that shown in Fig.

1, the trolley-wheel will strike the switch F, lift it until the projection g comes in contact with the spring-wire f, and thereby form a circuit through the signal-target and lamp V located at the next siding, as above described. The signal which is set at V is a safety-signal, and the one at V is a danger-signal, so

that the operator on a car coming in a direction opposite to the arrow when it reaches the first turn-out would see by the dangersignal at V that the main line was occupied. The operator on a car moving in the same direction as the arrow and arriving at the first turn-out would see by the safety-signal at V that the main line was open for its passage in that direction. When a car run ning in the direction of the arrow reaches the point a at the second turn-out the trolleywheel breaks the circuit and drops the signals by means of mechanism hereinafter described.

The two magnet-coils C D (shown in Fig. 2) are connected by a shunt-wire p and piece K to the trolley-wire and are in circuit with the ground, whereby the core H and y are constantly magnetized. An armature J is suspended by a link I, pivoted to the frame F, and is shaped so as to lit the magnet-cores. When the magnet-cores O D are in circuit the power of their magnets is so much greater than that of the cores H y that the armature J is attracted to and held against their cores H and y. To the under side of this armature J is secured a hook P, which engages with a similar hook or latch R secured to the switch F, when the latter is lifted by the trolleywheel. The purpose of these hooks is to guard against the switch F being thrown down by some unusual cause or accident. It will be seen that when the circuit is broken the magnets H and y would immediately attract the armature J and disengage the hooks R P, and allow the switch F to fall down onto the trolley-wire.

The mechanism shown in Fig. 1 is suspended from the poles by iron rods n n. (Shown in Fig. 3.)

Referring to Fig. 6, the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 is located at the two points A A and is suspended from the poles g g and a" 0". At the points a a (shown in Fig. 6) is located the mechanism for breaking the circuit (shown in Fig. 7 and suspended from the poles in a similar manner.

Referring to Fig. 7, fis a metal piece secured to the trolley-wire in a similar manner and constructed in the same way as pieces K K in Fig. 1. To the piece f at j is pivoted the lever 1), operating as a circuit-breaker. On the upright arm of Z) is a metal piece 10, insulated from the part 0, to which is c011- nected the wire X and which is in circuit with the ground-wire 6 when it is in contact with the metal piece 11, fastened to the hood a, but insulated therefrom. g is a cast-metal frame, to which the piece f is fastened by a bolt 2', from which it is insulated by any suitable insulating material, as h. Secured to the frame g is the hood a by means of the eyebolt l2 and the screw 13.

It will be seen that when the trolley-wheel strikes the long arm of h, as a car is passing onto the second turn-out in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6, the signals at a and g will be dropped. As soon as'the trolley passes beyond: I), the weight of the long arm of the circuit-breaker will cause the short arm 10 to come in contact with the piecev 1'1. and to be connected with the ground in readiness to form a circuit as soon as the next car lifts the switch F and forms a contact between it and the magnet-coils C D, as heretofore described.

A variety of forms could be employed for the signal, one of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, or electric lamps, as 70, having different colored glass, according to the character of the signal, could be used.

In Fig. 4 the parts are shown as they would appear looking down upon them in the signal-box. In Fig. 5 the same are shown as they would appearif the front of the box m were removed. 21 is a board or target secured to a rock-shaft 22, journaled in a frame 23, secured to the inside of the box. 24 is an arm secured to the rock-shaft 22 and having a sliding piece 18 pivoted to its end and arranged to travel in the slot in the end of the forked lever 17, which is pivoted near its other end at 20. The end 10 of the lever forms an armature for the electromagnets 14.- 15.

It is obvious that when the magnet-coils 14 15 are in circuit the target-signal will be swung across the hole in the front of the signal-box. (Shown in Fig. 3. The rock-shaft is not perpendicular, but it is journaled at such an angle that when the armature 16 is released the weight of the target and gravity will swing the target forward and backward and away from the hole.

e prefer the following method for apply ing our invention: Referring to Fig. 6, V and V represent signal-boxes having safety-signals arranged in circuit, as above described. V V are signal-boxes having danger-signals in circuit, as above described. 1* r g 9 represent the poles to which the signal-boxes are fastened. A A represent the mechanism for setting the signals, and a a the mechanism for dropping signals. a: :r are the wires which connect the signal-boxes.

It is obvious that the potential of the power current would be too'high to be taken wholly through one lampor signal. The potential must be regulated in any of the welhknown ways so as to adapt it to the number and character of the lamps and signals in Opera tion at any one time.

The mechanism herein described may be operated by electric batteries instead of by the power current, in which case the only change necessary is to insulate the switch F from the trolley-wire, or to insulate the armature G from the switch F. If the mechanism is operated by batteries it may be placed in abox and fastened to the poles or set up in any other way entirely independent of the support of the trolley-wire, and may be used for a variety of purposes other than street-railroad signals. In such cases, however, the making and breaking of the circuit must be done, of course, by some other means than the trolley.

Many modifications of the form described for applying the invention may be substituted, but any means whereby signals are set and dropped at one turn-out by making and breaking the circuit at the other are within the scope of our invention.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. The combination of a trolley wire an electro-magnet in circuit therewith an armature arranged to be moved within the field of the magnet by the trolley and to close the circuit through the magnet to hold it attracted, a signal in circuit with the magnet and a circuit breaker for breaking the circuit.

2. In combination with the trolley wire of an electric railway signal, an electro-magnet in circuit therewith, a circuit closer controlled by an armature which is moved by a passing trolley, and arranged to keep the magnet energized, signals in circuit with the electro-magnet and respectively located and arranged to show safety in a direction rearward from I the point of operation of the actuating trolley, and to show danger in a direction ahead from the next turnout ahead, and a circuit breaker near said turnout, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A circuit controller for use in connection with trolley wires consisting of a contact and a co-operating rod bent to form the double switch arm F pivoted at its ends and having its middle or bent portion astride and resting upon the trolley wire as shown.

4. A circuit controlling arm to be operated by trolleys of electric railways and adapted to co-operate with the contact in closing a circuit, said arm being formed of a rod bent into two substantially parallel arms, arranged to be pivoted at their ends, and having their joined ends turned up so that the side arms will drop below the trolley conductor while their connection rests upon the same, as shown.

5. In an electric railway signal, the combination of the pair of adjacent magnets of unequal strength, the circuit closer carrying an armature under control of the stronger magnet, a safety catch for engaging said circuit closer, and an armature under control of both magnets, and arranged to maintain the engagement of the catch by the attraction of the stronger magnet but to release the catch when moved by the weaker magnet for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with a normally open electric railway signal circuit, the strong and weak electro-magnets included respectively in said normally open signal circuit and in a normally closed circuit, the armature swingingbetween said magnets and carrying a detent hook and a switch arm carrying a contact for closing the normally open circuit and under the control of the magnet included therein, and the co-operating detent hook on said arm, as and for the purpose set forth.

EUGENE M. PHELPS. AROl-IIBALD T.- SAMPSON.

lVitnesses:

G. S. WING, HELEN J. LOVEJOY. 

